Analyst decries ‘vampirism’ in Senegal political fund management
During a recent public commentary, analyst Badara Gadiaga launched a scathing critique regarding the handling of Senegal political funds management by Ousmane Sonko during his tenure as head of government. Gadiaga highlighted that 142 days have passed since the former Prime Minister’s departure from the Primature on May 22, 2026. He asserted that over this period, Sonko nearly depleted the entire allocation of 1.77 billion CFA francs designated for political funds. According to Gadiaga, Ousmane Sonko left his successor, Al Aminou Lo, with less than 70 million CFA francs upon his exit.
Through a detailed calculation, the commentator determined that this expenditure equates to approximately 12 million CFA francs disbursed daily throughout Ousmane Sonko’s time at the Primature. He drew a stark comparison between this substantial spending and the challenging situation faced by university students concurrently, specifically referencing the tragic death of young Abdoulaye Ba, who was advocating for the payment of his 40,000 CFA franc scholarship. For Badara Gadiaga, this significant disparity exposes a fundamental contradiction between the official rhetoric surrounding the Economic and Social Recovery Plan (PRES) and the actual stewardship of public finances by the former head of government. Gadiaga noted that Sonko reportedly had access to over 300,000 CFA francs per month from these very funds. It is this profound divergence—between the plight of struggling students and the vast sums channeled through the Primature—that the analyst emphatically labeled as “vampirism.”
Through a detailed calculation, the commentator determined that this expenditure equates to approximately 12 million CFA francs disbursed daily throughout Ousmane Sonko’s time at the Primature. He drew a stark comparison between this substantial spending and the challenging situation faced by university students concurrently, specifically referencing the tragic death of young Abdoulaye Ba, who was advocating for the payment of his 40,000 CFA franc scholarship. For Badara Gadiaga, this significant disparity exposes a fundamental contradiction between the official rhetoric surrounding the Economic and Social Recovery Plan (PRES) and the actual stewardship of public finances by the former head of government. Gadiaga noted that Sonko reportedly had access to over 300,000 CFA francs per month from these very funds. It is this profound divergence—between the plight of struggling students and the vast sums channeled through the Primature—that the analyst emphatically labeled as “vampirism.”
